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afternoons.”
    Marlissa glanced at his hands and longed to feel the gentleness of his touch. “How’s Pastor Jennings?”
    Kevin nearly frowned. “Mother is Mother. She still has members, so she’s happy.”
    â€œAre you happy?” It just slipped out.
    Kevin sat up straight. “I’m working on it. That’s what I wanted to talk to you about.” He paused. “Thank you for not contesting the divorce. This thing doesn’t need to get any uglier than it already is.”
    â€œKevin, I meant everything I said. I am sorry.”
    He didn’t acknowledge her apology then and wasn’t going to now. “I’m happy you’ve turned your life around,” he said, suddenly standing. “This is a nice neighborhood. You should be safe walking back home. See you around.” Then, just as unexpectedly as he appeared, Kevin was gone.

Chapter 4
    F ather, I thank you so much for giving me this opportunity for redemption.
    Leon repeated the simple prayer constantly in his head, grateful that God would give him the chance to repair the home he had destroyed. After five years of marriage and receiving the gift of two precious children, Leon had allowed the pain and guilt of his younger brother’s murder to swallow and then drown him in the pit of despair. Leon remembered the day like it was yesterday.
    On the morning of Thursday, July 15, 2004, Leon didn’t think his world could get any better than it was. He had finally acquired an ample staff of reliable and qualified workers, which was good because he had more than enough work for his construction business. Star Construction, named after his wife, Starla, was the most sought-after name in the flooring industry from Oakland to Fremont for both residential as well as commercial. Starla had given birth to their second son six months prior and Leon was in the process of finding land to one day build Starla a brand new house on. The three-bedroom home they owned was nice, but Leon felt Starla deserved something better. “You’re my star, the light that lights my path,” is what he constantly told her. It didn’t matter the quantity or quality of compliments Leon received for his workmanship from his customers; coming home to Starla and his babies was the highlight of his day. As fulfilling as his natural life was, his spiritual life lacked just as much.
    Leon had grown up in the church, his late father being a deacon and his mother an evangelist. Leon and his three siblings had Jesus preached to them for breakfast, lunch, dinner, and snacks in between. That was the problem. As a child Leon heard so much preaching he heard it in his sleep. In his teenage years, he tried to fake being saved around his family and imitate a thug at school, but neither act was convincing. Leon just gave up and did what he wanted to do.
    Although he no longer attended church, Leon continued to pray from time to time and sent his tithes to Restoration Ministries on a regular basis through his mother. Believing that children needed a strong religious foundation, Leon sent Starla and the children to the neighborhood church. Starla’s receiving salvation still wasn’t incentive enough for him to attend.
    â€œI went to church three nights a week, five if you count choir rehearsal and miracle healing service, plus twice on Sunday. I’ve had enough church to take me to heaven twice,” was Leon’s response whenever Starla or his mother would invite him to service. Eventually, Starla and his mother stopped talking and started praying for him.
    That particular afternoon, Leon’s brother, David, came by his jobsite asking for money. David, five years younger, was a heroin addict living on the streets of Oakland. David didn’t own a car or cell phone, but he always knew how to find Leon. Normally, Leon would give him money, mainly to keep him from stealing it from their mother. But on that day, Leon had had